The truth behind the warrior
by Silverstar366
Summary: okay. Tawnyspots is driven from her home. Desperate she turns to Rootclan for support. But what happens when a scheming mind resides in the clan, Just waiting for a chance...full summary inside.R&R! please! rated T for freedom.
1. Guide to the clans

okayy people. Second story of fanfiction. Woohoo!!

read and review!!please!!! i need help!

also...this story corresponds to a forum, **Clans of Now**: administrator: **Writerofsgnitirw**(join!! hehee)

It tells the story of how tawnyspots was driven to forestclan(see new cats sign up here, Tawnyspots bio.)

now seriously, join! TEE HEE JUST KIDDING! but seriously!

**Guide to the clans...**

**Rootclan**

**Leader****: Boulderstar(all gray tom with white specks)**

**Deputy****: Arrowfeather(light-brown tom with dark paws and tail)**

**medicine cat****: Starkbranch(dark brown she-cat with white stripes)**

**warriors****:**

**Pantherclaw(all black tom, yellow eyes) apprentice: Dazzlepaw**

**Brightspark(white tabby with green eyes)**

**Larksong(White and silver tabby with green eyes)**

**Owlflight(gray tom with sharp yellow eyes. Markings on pelt look like owl feathers)**

**Smudgepelt(black and white tom with blue eyes)**

**Willowbounds(tortishell she-cat)apprentice:harepaw**

**Redfur(huge red-orange tom)**

**Cinderrose(fluffy light-gray she-cat.)**

**Rushtail(brown tom with brilliant blue eyes and a long tail with a golden tip)apprentice: Scratchpaw**

**apprentices:**

**Dazzlepaw(tortishell and white she-cat with green eyes)**

**Scratchpaw( Black tom with a white muzzle)**

**Harepaw(dusty brown tom with darker flecks)**

**Queens****:**

**Grassbend(light brown she-cat)**

**kits: Sunkit, Beamkit**

**Mallowtail(gray she-cat with green eyes)**

**kits: Jumpkit, Thornkit, Foxkit**

**Elders****:**

**Blendpelt(tom with a white black and orange splotched pelt)**

**Twineleaf(wiry brown tabby she-cat)**

**Snowclan**

**Leader:**** Froststar(white she-cat with silver paws, green eyes)**

**Deputy:**** Blizzardfall(black tom with white dusting on his pelt-like snow)**

**Medicine cat:**** Icepelt(tortishell tom with broad shoulders and white stripes)**

**warriors:**

**Quietclaw(brown she-cat with gentle amber eyes)apprentice: Driftpaw**

**whitewind(all white tom with amber eyes)**

**Flowingstream(black she-cat)**

**Hollydrift(brown and white tabby)**

**Slickpelt(dark brown tom with ice blue eyes)apprentice: Cloverpaw**

**Ambersea(she-cat with a rich chocolatie-brown coat and ice blue eyes)**

**Crushwhisker(brown tom)**

**Waterblaze(silver tom with steely gray eyes)**

**Snowglare(all white she-cat with green eyes)**

**Apprentices:**

**Driftpaw(black tom with green eyes)**

**Cloverpaw(light brown tabby she-cat)**

**Queens:**

**Droopingbranch(silver she-cat with yellow eyes)**

**kits: Glowkit, Rainkit, Heapkit**

**Elders:**

**Patchedice(black and white tom)**

**Swirlingrain(white she-cat with gentle blue eyes)**

**Cloudyskies(balck tom with white tail and paws)**


	2. chapter one: an anxious decision

The gazes from the rest of the clan seared Willowbound's fur. "What do you want from me?" she spat at her reluctant friends. They're eyes cast down, but the angry muttering continued to ensue. Twitching tails showed the frustration that clouded the air.

Brightspark glanced up, "Well…you must know Willowbound" she whispered, "They're just…different."

Larksong padded forward to stand beside her sister, their tabby pelts gleaming in the moonlight. "We can't allow them to settle here!" she insisted.

"Are you leader here Larksong?"

"No!" her eyes flashed dangerously as she turned toward the tortoiseshell she-cat. Arrowfeather pushed his way through the crowd of angry cats.

"Hush!" their deputy ordered, "Tonight is the full moon, is it not? Boulderstar will lead us to the gathering, and I expect that this bickering will stop. The clans will decide who stays and who leaves."

The clan nodded, appeased. Even Larksong bowed her head in consent. Boulderstar stalked to the head of his cats and le them out of the camp. The snowbound forest glistened as Rootclan bounded through it until they finally reached the pine-encircled clearing that served as their gathering place. It was time to decide.

"They don't want us here," Tawnypaw whispered to her mother, Moondash. The tabby stood and flicked her tail for silence. Her blue eyes were deeply troubled as she contemplated what they had heard. Unseen from the surrounding bushes, the small band of cats had watched as Rootclan protested their presence.

"It is in the paws of starclan," Tresspelt said grimly.

"We can only hope that will be enough," Lightpelt responded. Tawnypaw gazed at her father, then her mentor, as they discussed how they would go on if not accepted. _No!___She thought. _This can't happen!_

"Come Tawnypaw," Moondash gestured with her tail to an open sleeping hollow beside her. The mottled apprentice curled up sadly beside her mother, wishing for one last chance for a new life.

A river rushed past Tawnypaw, cutting a clear path through the moor. She didn't recognize any of her surroundings; they had not encountered places like this in oakclan, not even on their journey.

_I must be dreaming! _She thought. A humming melody came from the swiftly flowing water at her paws. She bent down and cautiously took a sip. Tawnypaw recoiled as the frigid cold liquid slid down her throat. It tasted like the juiciest piece of fresh-kill and had a fresh cleansing feel, like biting new snow.

Turning to flee the potentially dangerous water, she found that her paws were fixed to the bank, and as she gulped her last drop, a startling image filled her mind. It was of her naming ceremony. She still remembered the excitement and wonder that had filled her as she became an apprentice at last. Memories started flowing, coming faster and faster. She remembered her terror as oakclan scattered and her parents and mentor fled toward the hills. She thought of the fear of being discovered by Rushtail and Willowbound, before discovering that they were friends who could help. And of the shock she had felt when they learned that snowclan and rootclan existed. And lastly, of the look in Boulderstar's eyes, and realizing that her life was in the paws of these warriors.

The strange feeling released her and she stood, gasping for breath. A last thought flashed through her mind. _I don't want this to end!!_


	3. chapter 2: inside doubts

Cold breath on her sensitive ear fur awoke Tawnypaw from her place beside Moondash. "It has been decided," a voice whispered, and she blearily blinked away sleep. A black tom was conversing with Lightpelt as her mother listened. Tresspelt was talking with a light gray she-cat, while a young tortoiseshell and white she-cat sniffed around the clearing.

"This is Cinderrose," her mentor introduced, "and the black tom is Pantherclaw, and his apprentice, Dazzlepaw." The rootclan cats acknowledged their introduction with nods. Pantherclaw padded over.

"Tresspelt, we have decided that Moondash and Lightpelt will go to snowclan. You and Tawnypaw will come to Rootclan with us, so her training is not disrupted."

"What??" she exclaimed. Her shock and hurt flowed. Her mother and father, gone. "No!" she wailed.

"Settle yourself" Lightpelt ordered quietly, "You will be well cared for, and at least they are taking us in!" The apprentice fell into a stunned silence. The tortoiseshell-Dazzlepaw-pressed her pelt comfortingly against Tawnypaw's trembling flank.

"Good-bye," Moondash whispered, then more quietly, "I'm sorry, but this is the only way." Lightpelt pressed against her for a timeless moment before padding away to join his mate.

"Come" Tresspelt gently led her away, as two snowclan cats bounded into the clearing. A chocolate-brown warrior talked for a while, and then all four cats stood up and followed a powerful silver tom out of the clearing. The undergrowth rustled, and Tawnypaw gazed with despair as the last remnants of parents' presence was erased.

"Tawnypaw?"

"Dazzlepaw?" she mumbled.

"Come on, get up! Border patrol with Redfur and Owlflight!" she ordered.

"Fine…" Tawnypaw groaned.

After three moons in her new camp, things were going well. She still saw her parents at gatherings, and gradually rootclan was beginning to accept her.

"Hurry up!" Owlflight growled impatiently. His yellow eyes flashed as the patrol bounded out of camp. They sniffed along the snowclan border, from a huge boulder to a small clearing, remarking the scent marks.

"There" Redfur hissed in satisfaction "Now no snowclan warrior will cross _our_ border!" As the trekked back to camp, he added, "Prey is scarce, so we'll see what we can pick up on our way back.

"Okay!" The apprentices chorused, and bounded away into the snow-laden forest. Soon, Tawnypaw had caught a thrush, and Dazzlepaw a small squirrel. The older warriors had no such luck and padded into the camp empty pawed. Arrowfeather stalked up.

"Good hunting," he addressed them, "Tawnypaw, take that thrush to Grassbend and Mallowtail." She nodded, picked up the limp thrush, and started toward the nursery. One of the safest places in the camp, the nursery was a warm grassy den, barricaded with strong fern walls that had thorns woven on the outside. Scratchpaw walked past her on his way to Tresspelt and Rushtail.

He stopped and asked, "How was the patrol? All quiet?" His amber eyes were searching, as he gently flicked her flank with his tail. His touch sent shivers down her spine.

"Y-y-yeah" she stuttered. Embarrassed, she picked up the thrush once more and continued toward the nursery. As she divided up her prey for the queens, a thump sounded behind her followed by the sound of excited squealing.

"Quick, Snowclan invading!" Sunkit chorused.

"I've got her down. Watch out for more coming from behind!" Beamkit shouted as he pounced on her tail.

"Hey, little kits! That's my tail, not a toy!" she laughed. To Grassbend she meowed, "They're getting quite big."

"I know" she responded, "In a moon or so they'll be ready for mentors. What a relief. They disturb Mallowtail and her kits with their constant energy." Despite her words, the queen's eyes glowed fondly as she led her kits to the thrush. They tucked into it hungrily.

A yowl sounded from the clearing. "It must be time for Harepaw's warrior ceremony!" Tawnypaw said excitedly. She sprinted into the clearing and settled down beside Scratchpaw. Dazzlepaw came and joined them. Out of the fern-enclosed warrior's den padded Willowbound, with a neatly groomed Harepaw beside her. His brown pelt shone in the light of the setting sun, and his eyes gleamed with excitement. As they neared the high root, Boulderstar jumped down in front of the soon-to-be warrior.

"Willowbound, are you confident that you're apprentice is ready to become a warrior?" he asked.

"Absolutely. He will be a warrior that the clan will be proud of."

"Then by the power of starclan, I grant you your new name. Harepaw, from now on you will be known as Harepelt. Rootclan honors you courage and quick-thinking and we welcome you as a full rootclan warrior." Harepelt bowed his head and licked his leader's shoulder.

"Harepelt, Harepelt!" The clan chanted. Arrowfeather's eyes were brimming with pride as he watched his son become a warrior at last. As she sat back to wait until her old denmate was free to talk, Scratchpaw nudged her happily.

"Pretty soon that will be us!" he said.

Her tail flicked excitedly, "I'll be the best warrior ever!" Tawnypaw vowed. No matter what, she would show her clan that they could trust her!


	4. chapter 3: battle

Tawnypaw stood and shook herself. Tail lashing angrily, she stalked back to Tresspelt. "They still don't trust me!" she fumed, referring to Larksong's abysmal treatment of her. After nearly four moons of staying with Rootclan, the silver warrior insisted on treating her like an enemy, constantly spreading malicious rumors.

"Calm down," Tresspelt murmured, "You must show them that you're of equal worth as everyone else. Losing your temper will only degrade the clans' opinion of you…of _us_!"

"Fine," she mumbled. Her anger still steamed, but she saw the wisdom behind her mentor's words. Tawnypaw launched a surprise attack at the sienna-pelted warrior. Her sheathed paws scrabbled at his fur as she worked to unbalance him. Tresspelt shook her off easily.

"Hey, I wasn't ready!" he protested, before leaping high above his apprentice and coming down hard on her back, squashing the air out of her. Quick as lightning, Tawnypaw swiped the feathery tip of her tail across his nose. His pause allowed her to wriggle out from under him, and in a flash she had her forepaw planted on Tresspelt's neck, lightly unsheathing her claws.

"Dead," she declared.

"Good job!" her mentor praised, "Now get off me you great lump!" Tresspelt laughed jokingly.

"Did I do good?" she questioned breathlessly, after she had removed her mottled paws from his pelt.

"Amazing! Good use of your tail!" he answered, "I think today's training is finished. I'll report back to Boulderstar. It's about time you became a warrior!"

Tawnypaw bounded out through the tunnel, relishing the new-leaf sun on her pelt. Her paws felt as light as air, as she pelted among the ferns and pines back towards camp. Scratchpaw's black fur intercepted her at the entrance to the camp, Brightspark and Smudgepelt behind.

She opened her mouth to impart the good news, but before she could choke out a word, her denmate yowled, "Hurry! Snowclan attacking! Quick, defend the camp!" Arrowfeather was already in the clearing, calling the rootclan warriors to him. She saw Dazzlepaw guiding Grassbend and her kits to the nursery, where Mallowtail was safely hiding. The faraway yowls of angry cats reached her ears.

"Tawnypaw, quick! Help me guide Blendpelt and Twineleaf to the big cave!" Scratchpaw yowled. As she was bounding over to him, the snowclan cats bounded through the stone entrance. A black tom led the way. In two bounds, he was on Arrowfeather, screeching and clawing. A huge patrol of cats streamed in behind him.

She strove to cross the clearing to her denmate, but on her first brave leap a silver cat crashed into her side. His eyes gleamed with madness, and his teeth were bared. She flinched as his thorn sharp claws raked down her pelt. Lashing out fiercely, Tawnypaw snarled in anger. This was a completely unprovoked attack! Her flailing claws sank into the silver fur and hung on. Even with this, the tom's greater weight kept her pinned to the ground, and his scratching intensified. Thinking fast, she tried the move that had helped her in training. He bit down hard on her tail. She started clawing and slashing at his stomach with renewed fury. The snowclan cat jumped off of her and fled through the briars surrounding the camp. Tawnypaw hissed with satisfaction, no snowclan cat would ever beat _her_!

"Tawnypaw…" the whisper was weak. The apprentice crept stealthily and peered between the ferns. Moondash was lying on the ground in a secret space behind the apprentices' den. Her hind leg hung uselessly, and deep scratch marks covered her side. Larksong was standing over her.

"Moondash" she hissed, "I will eradicate your family, scatter your descendants, and make you precious 'oakclan' no more than a memory. No one can trust a cat of your dirty birth!" she spat.

Before Tawnypaw could react to the vulgar scene, Larksong jumped forward and slit Moondash across the throat with one flick of her claw. Tawnypaw watched in silent agony as the treacherous warrior dragged her mother through a bramble screen of no return.


End file.
